


Lone and Level Sands

by quantum_consciousness



Series: What Came Before, What Comes After [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bucky step up would'ya, Gen, M/M, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Sam Wilson Needs a Hug, Sam is in the feels, Unexpected Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-12-09 07:08:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20990846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quantum_consciousness/pseuds/quantum_consciousness
Summary: The almost-smile disappears off Sam’s face and he takes a step deeper into the water, and he starts unbuttoning his shirt as he wades further. One look over his shoulder and he chucks the shirt to shore, and Sam dives into the water. The ache in Bucky’s chest deepens as Sam swims. He supposes, Sam has lost a lot more, he supposes, sometimes Sam feels as lonely as he used to.





	Lone and Level Sands

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work ever, feedback is appreciated!

The waves roll and toil, the tide at Bucky’s feet as he digs his toes into the sand. The evening is warm, the breeze light as he looks off west to the sunset. The tide breaks, recedes, and comes back. Break, recede, break and recede. He hasn’t felt a quiet and peace like this in, how long has it been now? 

It has been five years, that’s what they told him after the fight. You died, and the world moved on. Steve mourned you a second time. Par for the course for him. But these waves, the break, it takes him back…

Sam and him took a detour here, on their way to Steve’s apartment down south. They would stay there until they got back up on their feet, and caught up to the world that left them behind. Here’s a duffel of clothes, cash, and a phone. They would have to figure out, no alternative. But they could figure it out later, for now, they could watch the sunset, tomorrow could wait. Bucky looks to his left as Sam wades into the water. He had said he wouldn’t go in, you go on ahead, I’ll wait at the car.

Sam isn’t looking at him. Maybe he’s listening to the break, too, staring off into the sunset to time past. What was going through his head, Bucky wonders? Sam and him haven’t spoken in weeks (years, Bucky, it’s been _years_), but he looks so far away, like he didn’t even know Bucky was there. Sure enough, Sam starts when Bucky raises his voice: “Where to next?”

It takes Sam a moment to answer, as he ponders. Sam always knew what the next move was, he was the strategizer, the planner, and the one who held Steve back as he jumped head first into trouble. And now, he had no plan, no intel, and no partner. Sam replies, “We go to this place, and I make some calls, maybe get something to eat in between. We figure it out from there. Wakanda is always an option for you, y’know.”

“I know. But I’ve overstayed my welcome. Plus, I’m pretty sure they sold all my goats.”

Sam almost smiles at that, and there’s an ache at Bucky’s chest at the prospect of seeing more of it. He thinks back at their last conversation in Wakanda. Sam had looked complete, alive and damn near radiant as the eastern sun cast him in a yellowish glow. This Sam, here in front of him, looks sunken, hollow, blurred. Bucky supposes, he’s used to losing time, but in one fell swoop Sam has lost it all. His house and job, communication with his family, the loyalty of his country, and… whatever Steve was to him, and all he has to show for it is the shield sitting in their (Steve’s) trunk. And Bucky thinks Sam will blame no one but himself for it all.

The almost-smile disappears off Sam’s face and he takes a step deeper into the water, and he starts unbuttoning his shirt as he wades further. One look over his shoulder and he chucks the shirt to shore, and Sam dives into the water. The ache in Bucky’s chest deepens as Sam swims. He supposes, Sam has lost a lot more, he supposes, sometimes Sam feels as lonely as he used to. But he would never say, he would keep it in, is if his pain is an inconvenience to Bucky. But Bucky stays put as Sam swims, he’ll watch his back until Sam is ready to let him in. 

Sam swims, and Bucky watches. The tide breaks, then recedes. The lone and level sands stretch, and the sun is pulled towards the horizon. 

**Author's Note:**

> That last line was Percy Shelley, as is the title, because why not. Never written before, but better late than never. I'm planning on making this a series, I want to see Sam and Bucky as friends, then something more. But yeah, I don't know where I was going with this one. Enjoy, feedback appreciated.


End file.
